The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-05-11

taken away from a plant In hoeing 1t, as q
matter of course, 1t should be returned; be.
yond that, the probabilities arc that injury
of good ooW toll ai eI e n all al the
time Drag beds down with harrow before
planting; start with tnem as low rs possible
and never increase their height afterwards.
| Next TO fiat culture, and perhaps OF equal
Importance, is frequent, light STRINGS Of the
surface that Il crust may never form; Deep
blowing by loosening up the soil and expos
ing it to the air dries 1t up rapidly !; some some
weather brings moisture up from below and
the erGP 1t does h, Srng opIW 1st gWrs Eirs
! the moisture o. better opportunity to escape
| into the air. Plants do not derive any beneht
from its transfer TO the surface. Lightsu
plowing on the contrary, keeps the moisture
| in the soil, only thin skim at the surface Is
made dryer by the plowing. The water from
below rises up to the layer OF pulverlzed SOL,
but cannot pass through 1T into the air. 1t
acts like a mulch; every one knows tnat
low damp, but mulching, with leaves on a
large scale Is impracticnble-not so mulch
ing with pulveriZed earth, 1t is cheap, prac-
ticable, effective. Keep the sweep wings nat,
once in every ten days, or oftener If rain falls
and q crust Is about to form. Plowing at long
intervals makes spasmodic growth ola crop
first fast and then slow. Plow frequently
The first OF May is favorable time to start
many OF the crops, generally esteemed side
crops, but which deserve decidedly more
prominence. All the sorghums should now
be planted. We urge the cultivation OF these
crops upon our readers with great confidence.
We have fully tested the matter on our own
farm. aud know these pants TO De nSa aamifaoIe ne
say that they are wonderful. excelling any
thing that was overheard of. But that, IKE
corn they are useful, and fill certain place
knows that syrup sorghum is hardy, produc-
tive Il certain and cheaply raised crop.
Every farmer can raise enough Of 1t TO supply
his laborers with syrup at very little expense
fotidor and grain. Mules can be fed on these
in place of corn and fodder, and 1t IS not eX'
travagant to say that as much stock can be
ted from an acre OF sorghum as bi ,rp f n ,ooE
ing at sorghum simply as syrup-produc1ng
crop. Why not rank 1t as a regular 1000
crop? The whole heads fed TO mules are wei
chewcd the grains are throughly masticated,
and We have never seen whole SEED pass
undigcsted:througha an animal: AS change
from a continuous corn ration 1T Is highly rel
ishcd by stock, and Is apparently equally nu-
tritious. Now here is a crop which pays for
lis cultivation in two distinct products-syrup
and grain and fodder. Either of these prod
ucts will more than pay the cost OF cultivn.
ton the other remains as clear profit. IL Is
both n money and food CROP But we desire
to call attention TO sorghum particularly as
food for hogs.
The early amber cane planted the first Of
May, will be ripe by the first of August, and
through successive paintings, continuous
supply OF it may be had from the first OF Au-
gust well into Novcmber-nenrly. If not quite,
four months. Now, as every observant per.
son knows, hogs eat this plant with avidity
rhey extract ali the Juice from the stalks, in
addition to eating the grain, and fatten upon
with great yor M%ny 0See hea ra Tg
on the corn-crib. Here is substitute, here Is
remedy-a hardy. easily raised, productive
crop one that stands drought well, that Will
Could cheaper, better hog food be found?
Almost every one knows this, but how few
take advantage oft. We 60 on from year to
year in the same old ruts, confning our enorts
force of mere habit be overcome? Why not
cut down the corn crop q little and plant
sorghum in place oft? Plant enough TO sup.
ply your laborers with syrup. the seea ana ana
more to feed green to hogs and milch COWS.
Three acres of sorghum will feed and fatten
ten hogs from August to November. Com
pare the cost OF raising three acres of sorghum
with the value OF ten hogs whose weight has
been increased fifty to one hundred per cent
With hardy fruit trees, like piums, seeding
peaches, wild cherry mui5erries, morse s1 ad ana
burr covers, with early productive varieties
Of sweet potato like the st. Domingo, with
pea patches, and finally sorghum, what him
ders a Sou thern farmer from raising pork as
cheap as anybody? Nothing but not making
I'D his mind to do so andarranging for It, He
can do it if he wills to do 1t.
But the syrup sorghum is not the only var
iety which might be proftably cultivated
The white seeded varieties, like milo maize
and Kaffir corn are very nearly, If not quite
equal TO corn rs horse-feed. We have fully
tested the milo maize; horses eat it with rel
ish, and can do as much work when fed upon
it as npcn a corn ration. Neither is 1t at all
are put in the manger. and the grain, eaten
with the brush of the head, Is throughly
masticated. The blades are pulled and cured
like fodder. In above respect II stands on the
the same footing rs corn. What are Its ad-
vantages? 1t stands drought better and Will
make something ofa crop when corn would
utterly fail. Ifa drought strikes corn just as
1t 'shoots," it fails-it cannot wait for future
rain. Those Sorghums, on the contrary, will
walt quite patiently. If the main head falls
somewhat, shoots Will spring from the joints
as soon as rains set in, and make second
crop of heads. 1t is next to Impossible for
crop of them to fail entirely; but care must be
had to get strain of milo that natures ear
y;there is no difficulty on that point with the
Kaflir; it is one Of the early. maturing varie-
makes q very pretty looking fine meal We
have never tested their value in bread. They
have one decided advantage over syrup
sorghums-there is less tannin In the cover
ings of the grain. AS poultry food these sor-
ghums are most excellent; the grains can be
eaten by comparatively small chickens.